ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Power
Exploring the roots: 39 delegates of Indian diaspora from across the world call onShriR.K.Singh
“India aiming at100 per cent renewable energy in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep”, says the Minister
“India has chosen the path of sustainable growth and we want to leave a green planet for our future generations. That is why our focus is on renewable energy.We are aiming for 100 per cent renewable energy in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep and India is ready to share expertise among other small island Nations., said Shri R K Singh, Minister of State  for Power and New & Renewable Energy. Shri Singh was addressing the delegates of Know India Programme from various countries including Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad& Tobago, South Africahere today.
Know India Programme is a flagship programme of Ministry of External Affairs for engagement with Indian origin youth  to enhance their awareness about India, its cultural heritage, art and to familiarize them with various aspects of contemporary India. The programme has been in existence since 2003.
During their interaction with the officials of the Ministry of Power and MNRE, the delegates were exposed to various dimensions of India’s power and renewable energy sectors. They were informed that as a responsible Nation India has committed to increase share of non-fossil fuel based electric power generation upto 40 per cent by 2030. India has already achieve over 33 per cent share of non-fossil fuels in the electric installed capacity and is likely to achieve this target much ahead of the deadline. Focused approach and ambitious aims will make India a world leader in the field of renewable energy”, observed the Minister. Explaining the unique feature of the India Power system the delegates were informed about the country –wide single grid that operates at single frequency.
He further said that India has chosen a democratic federal system where freedom and equality isguaranteed by the constitution. He talked about the emotional bondthat Indian diaspora shares with the country of their forefathers and wished the delegates for a better future.
Ministry of Finance
Quarterly Report on Public Debt Management - April to June 2020
Since April-June  2010-11, Public Debt Management Cell  , Budget Division, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance has been bringing out a quarterly report on debt management on a regular basis. The current report pertains to the quarter April - June 2020 .
During Q1 of FY21, the Central Government issued dated securities aggregating to Rs 3,46,000 crore as against Rs 2,21,000 crore in Q1 of FY20. The weighted average yield of primary issuances showed a sharp moderation to 5.85 per cent in Q1 FY21 from 6.70 per cent in Q4 of FY20. The weighted average maturity of new issuances of dated securities was lower at 14.61 years in Q1 of FY21 as compared to 16.87 years in Q4 of FY20. During April-June 2020, the Central Government raised Rs 80,000 crore through the issuance of Cash Management Bills. The Reserve Bank conducted one special OMO involving simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities for Rs 10,000 crore each during the quarter ended June 2020. The net average liquidity absorption by RBI under Liquidity Adjustment Facility  including Marginal Standing Facility and Special Liquidity Facility was Rs 4,51,045 crore during the quarter.
Total liabilities  of the Government, increased to Rs 101,35,600 crore at end-June 2020 from Rs 94,62,265 crore at end-March 2020. Public debt accounted for 91.1 per cent of total outstanding liabilities at end-June 2020. Nearly 28.6 per cent of the outstanding dated securities had a residual maturity of less than 5 years. The ownership pattern indicates a share of 39.0 per cent for commercial banks and 26.2 per cent for insurance companies at end-June 2020.
The yields on G-Secs showed a downward movement during the quarter ended June 2020. This reflected the impact of several developments namely a sharp decline in crude oil prices during April 2020, reduction in the repo rate by 40 bps to 4.0 per cent by the Monetary Policy Committee on May 22, 2020 and surplus liquidity conditions in the market. Central Government dated securities continued to account for a major share of total trading volumes in the secondary market with a share of 74.0 per cent in total outright trading volumes in value terms during Q1 of FY21.
To access the report, click on the following link:-
Quarterly Report on Public Debt Management – April to June 2020
Ministry of Science & Technology
Effectiveness of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19  vaccine against the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India
SARS-CoV-2 has affected more than 200 million people causing more than 5 million deaths worldwide as per the WHO statistics. The rise in mutant variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to concerns regarding vaccine effectiveness. Delta  variant is the predominant strain in India. The vaccination programme in India is driven largely by the Covishield vaccine .
A multi-institutional team of Indian researchers led by Translational Health Science and Technology Institute  evaluated the real-world vaccine effectiveness of Covishield during the SARS-CoV-2 infection surge between April and May, 2021, in India. They also assessed neutralising activity and cellular immune responses against the Variants in healthy vaccinated persons to understand the mechanisms of protection.
In the study published in journal “The Lancet Infectious Diseases” which included comparison between 2379 cases of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and 1981 controls, the vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection in fully vaccinated individuals was found to be 63%. The vaccine effectiveness of complete vaccination against moderate-to-severe disease was much higher at 81%. More importantly, the scientists also observed that the Spike-specific T-cell responses were conserved against both the delta variant and wild-type SARS-CoV-2. Such cellular immune protection might compensate for waning humoral immunityagainst the virus variants and prevent moderate-to-severe disease and need for hospitalisation. This study provides the comprehensive data on the real-world vaccine effectiveness and immunological response to vaccination which should help guide policy.
Publication Link: https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1473-3099%2821%2900680-0
President's Secretariat
TOUR OF RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN TO REMAIN CLOSED FROM JANUARY 25 TO 29
Tour of Rashtrapati Bhavan for the general public will remain closed from January 25 to 29, 2023, due to Republic Day Parade and Beating the Retreat Ceremony-2023.
Ministry of Science & Technology
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Canada for cooperation in the field of Science & Technology
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved a Memorandum of Understanding  with Canada for cooperation in the field of Science & Technology. The MoU will provide a mechanism and help to foster scientific cooperation between R&D and academic institutions of India and Canada.
Salient features:
- An innovative model of R&D cooperation between India and Canada will be implemented under a MoU concluded by the Department of Science and Technology with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council  of Canada.
- Under this MoU, the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnership to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability  programme will be supported to promote India-Canada multidisciplinary research partnerships.
- The R&D projects will be aimed at accelerating social transformation by providing solutions through application of science and technology.
- The participants will include researchers from scientific organizations, academia and R&D laboratories from India and Canada.
- Identified areas of mutual cooperation include safe and sustainable infrastructure and integrated water management.
- This will help to develop institutional networking and support the establishment of connections between scientific organizations, scientists and specialists of India and Canada.
Background:
The MoU was concluded in pursuance to the inter-governmental Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the India and Canada concluded in November 2005.
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Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
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406 Districts to be covered for Providing Piped Natural Gas
Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board  is the authority to grant authorization to the entities for the development of City Gas Distribution  network in Geographical Areas  as per PNGRB Act, 2006. PNGRB identifies GAs for authorizing the development of CGD network in synchronization with the development of natural gas pipeline connectivity, natural gas availability and techno-commercial viability to provide Piped Natural Gas . PNGRB has authorized 228 GAs covering 406 districts spread over 27 States and Union Territories up to 10th CGD bidding round.Details of the GAs authorized till 10th CGD bidding round including those in the state of Bihar are at Annexure.
This information was given by Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Food Processing Industries
Union Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar chairs Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee's Meetings
Various projects of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries get nod in meetings
Decisions will generate a large amount of employment and benefit millions of farmers
Under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, various projects of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries have been approved in the Inter-Ministerial Approval Committees meetings held today. The decisions will generate thousands of jobs and millions of farmers will also get benefits. Shri Tomar said that the emphasis of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is on promoting the agriculture and food processing sector, in this context many projects are being approved continuously.
In the meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee chaired by Shri Tomar, 2 projects have been approved under the Mega Food Park Scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana. About 10 thousand people will get new employment opportunities from these projects and 50 thousand farmers will get direct and indirect benefits.
Similarly, in the Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee meeting chaired by Shri Tomar, 39 projects were approved under the Cold Chain Scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana. Approximately 25 thousand people will get employment opportunities from these projects and about 4 lakh farmers will get direct and indirect benefits.
In a meeting held under the chairmanship of Shri Tomar, the 3 proposals approved under the Creation for Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Cluster , a component under PM Kisan Sampada Yojana. These clusters will help in reducing the wastage of agricultural produce, which will increase the income of farmers and generate employment at the local level. These projects will attract private investment, generate employment for about 2500 people and 12 thousand farmers will be benefited.
A project under the backward-forward linkage scheme under the PM Kisan Sampada Yojana was also approved in the inter-ministerial approval committee meeting. This project will provide new employment opportunities for about 200 people along with benefitting about 1 thousand farmers of the region directly or indirectly.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries were present in the meetings. Many promoters of the projects participated through video conferences.
Prime Minister's Office
India and Afghanistan will combat COVID-19 together, with solidarity and shared resolve says PM
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today said India and Afghanistan will combat COVID-19 together, with solidarity and shared resolve.
PM Modi was responding to a tweet from Afghanistan President Dr. Ashraf Ghani, who expressed his gratitude towards India for providing essential medicines hydroxychloroquine, paracetamol and other items to Afghanistan.
Replying to the Afghanistan President, Prime Minister Modi in a tweet said, “India and Afghanistan share a special friendship, based on ties of history, geography, and culture. For long, we have fought jointly against the scourge of terrorism. We will similarly combat COVID-19 together, with solidarity and shared resolve”.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
192.97 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
India's Active caseload currently stands at 15,814
Active cases stand at 0.04%
Recovery Rate currently at 98.75%
2,296 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to 4,26,07,177
2,710 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours
Daily positivity rate 
Weekly Positivity Rate 
84.88 cr Total Tests conducted so far; 4,65,840 tests conducted in the last 24 hours
Ministry of Earth Sciences
The cyclonic circulation over north Chhattisgarh & neighbourhood, extends up to 1.5 km above mean sea level persists
According to the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the India Meteorological Department :

All India Weather Inference
- The Northern Limit of Monsoon  continues to pass through lat. 10°N/ Long. 60°E, lat. 10°N/ Long. 70°E, Kochi, Palayamkottai, lat. 90°N/ Long. 80°E, 12°N/85°E, 14°N/90°E and 17°N/94°E.
- Southwest monsoon is likely to advance into remaining parts of south Arabian Sea, some parts of central Arabian Sea, remaining parts of Kerala & Lakshadweep, some more parts of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry, some parts of coastal & south interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema and some more parts of south and Central Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours.
- The Western Disturbance as a trough in mid & upper tropospheric westerlies with its axis at 7.6 km above mean sea level now runs roughly along longitude 74°E to the north of latitude 28°N.
- The cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan & neighbourhood extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level persists.
- The cyclonic circulation over north Chhattisgarh & neighbourhood and extends up to 1.5 km above mean sea level persists.
- The cyclonic circulation over Eastcentral Arabian Sea off Karnataka coast extending up to 3.1 km above mean sea level persists.
- The trough at mean sea level off Karnataka Kerala coasts persists.
- The cyclonic circulation over Equatorial Indian Ocean & adjoining central parts of South Bay of Bengal between 3.1 km & 4.5 km above mean sea level persists.
- The east west shear zone from Southwest Arabian Sea to Southeast Bay of Bengal across extreme southern peninsula along Latitude 8°N at 3.1 km above mean sea level persists.
- The north south trough from Telangana to south Tamilnadu and extends up to 1.5 km above mean sea level persists.
For more details kindly visit www.imd.gov.in or contact : +91 11 24631913, 24643965, 24629798
PIB Headquarters
PUBLIC NOTICE TO CAUTION AGAINST ‘ONLINE FRAUDULENT OFFERS’ AND “FAKE MAILS” DEMANDING MONEY FROM FAKE WEBSITES ON SELECTION OF LPG DISTRIBUTORS AND RETAIL OUTLET DEALERS
It has come to the notice of Oil Marketing Companies , viz – Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. & Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd., that a number of fake websites have been created by some unknown persons/bogus agencies to fraudulently offer LPG distributorships and/or Retail Outlet dealerships and demanding money in the process.
In order to dupe innocent applicants, the layout of the fake website has been kept similar to the original websites: www.lpgvitarakchayan.in and www.petrolpumpdealerchayan.in
These fake websites are targeting innocent people and are sending fake emails allegedly from the Oil Marketing Companies – viz. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd./ Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd./ Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.  and are collecting huge sums of money in the name of OMCs.
The public is therefore advised to visit ONLY official websites of OMCs at www.lpgvitarakchayan.in  and www.petrolpumpdealerchayan.in  for authentic and official information and prevent themselves from being cheated by the unscrupulous elements.
In case any communication is received regarding offering an LPG distributorship and/ or Retail Outlet Dealership, the concerned persons are advised to immediately contact the nearest bonafide office of the related Oil Company, before taking any action – i.e. sharing personal information and/or remitting any money. Furthermore, public may also to lodge a complaint with the cybercrime branch of police if any such case comes to their notice.
The appointment of LPG distributors and Retail Outlet dealers by the public sector OMCs is carried out across the country through a well-established selection procedure comprising of detailed advertisement published in leading Newspapers, hosting on website of the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies and conducting draw of lots from amongst all eligible applicants. The official websites of the public sector OMCs are as given below:
None of the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies have appointed any agency/person on their behalf for selection/appointment of LPG distributors and RO dealers across the country, nor they have authorized any agency/person to solicit any money whatsoever from any candidate at any stage of the selection process.
The Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies shall not be responsible in any way for amount paid to any individual or group of individuals/agencies/Companies purporting to represent Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies.
OMCs once again caution members of public that responding online on such websites could result in compromising crucial personal information that can be misused to cause financial and other loss to them.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
51.90 Cr. vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
India's Active caseload currently 3,86,351; lowest in 140 days
Active cases constitute 1.21% of total cases; lowest since Mar 2020
Highest ever Recovery Rate achieved; currently at 97.45%
3,12,20,981 total recoveries across the country so far
40,013patients recovered during last 24 hours
India reports 38,353new cases in last 24 hours
Weekly Positivity Rate remainsbelow5%, currently at 2.34%
Daily positivity rate at 2.16%; less than 3% for last 16 days
Testing capacity substantially ramped up – 48.50 cr tests total conducted
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
India scales a new peak of 5 cr total COVID tests
Tests Per Million on a continuous rise, pegged at 36,703 today
Aggressive and widespread TESTING has essayed an important role in India’s fight against the COVID pandemic. India has scaled another peak- the cumulative tests have surpassed 5 crore today.
India has come a long way from conducting just one test from the lab at National Institute of Virology, Pune in January 2020 to 5,06,50,128 today. 10,98,621 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours testifying the enlarged testing capacity in the country.
The average daily tests conducted  are demonstrating a consistent increase. This has registered a 3.2 times expansion from third week of July  to first week of September .
In its Guidance Note on “Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19”, WHO has advised countries to conduct 140 tests per day per million population for comprehensive surveillance for suspect cases. The average week-on-week data for India shows a rising improvement on this front.
Expanding network of diagnostic labs has given a boost to Tests per Million. The TPM have seen a sharp rise from 6396 on 1st of July to 36,703 as of today. The testing lab network in the country is continuously strengthened which as on today consists of 1668 labs in the country; 1035 labs in the government sector and 633 private labs. These include:
• Real-Time RT PCR based testing labs: 846 
• TrueNat based testing labs: 700 
• CBNAAT based testing labs: 122 
For all authentic & updated information on COVID-19 related technical issues, guidelines & advisories please regularly visit: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/ and @MoHFW_INDIA.
Technical queries related to COVID-19 may be sent to technicalquery.covid19[at]gov[dot]in and other queries on ncov2019[at]gov[dot]in and @CovidIndiaSeva .
In case of any queries on COVID-19, please call at the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare helpline no.: +91-11-23978046 or 1075 . List of helpline numbers of States/UTs on COVID-19 is also available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/coronvavirushelplinenumber.pdf .
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Commerce & Industry Minister to Inaugurate National Public Procurement Conclave
The 3rd edition of National Public Procurement Conclave  is being organised by Government e-Marketplace  in association with Confederation of Indian Industry  on 5-6 December 2019 in New Delhi. The conclave will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal.
It will provide an opportunity for industry, academia and Government organizations to interact and also serve as a platform for sellers on GeM to showcase their products and services.
The key features of the conclave are panel discussions on role of MSMEs, Startups and women in public procurement. A special session on services on GeM - hospitality, travel and accommodation bookings is also scheduled during the two-day event. A Live GeM “clinic” to resolve queries on the spot and facilitate Registration of Buyer and Sellers on GeM will be set up at the Conclave. Award and recognition to the top buyers and sellers on GeM will be announced during the Conclave.
Exhibitions of various products and services that are available on the GeM platform will be showcased during the Conclave on 5th-6th December.
GeM is a complete online marketplace that allows all sellers to register themselves and transact on the platform. All verifications are done through online integration. GeM promotes inclusiveness and ease of doing business with the Government. It is a transparent online marketplace that not only speeds up public procurement but also ensures substantial savings for the Government.